Military council soldiers from the Mawrawady Naval Base in Yebyu Township, Dawei District, Tanintharyi Region, arrested eight civilians, including women, according to locals.
Among those arrested are four family members – Daw Mee Cho, Ko Kyaw Oo and Ko Kyaw Kyaw – as well as 60-year-old grocery store owner Daw Dee Doke from Kanpauk Market in Meggan Ward and workers Ko Min Thu Aung and Ko Aung Paing Soe, locals said.
The arrest of the civilians came after mines were discovered at an intersection near the forestry office in Kanpauk village at around 8 am on 15 July
“Across the street from the grocery store is a rival store owned by a pro-junta family, so the arrest may also be a deliberate attempt to get them into trouble. It would make sense if those arrested were among those who live near where the mines were found. But they live far away from where the mines were found,” said a relative of the arrested family.
Local residents reported that regime soldiers came to the grocery store in five vehicles to arrest the six people and closed Kanpauk market and the road leading to the high school at the time of the arrest.
In a similar case, junta soldiers came in two vehicles to an electrical store near Kanpauk Monument at around 11:30 am on 16 July and arrested 35-year-old store owner Ma Aye Aye Thu and 33-year-old store helper Ma Thazin Lwin, said a resident of the ward.
Ward residents claimed that those arrested from the grocery and electrical store were ordinary vendors in the ward.
All eight arrested civilians were being detained and questioned at the Mawrawady Navy headquarters. They have not been released until the evening of 17, leaving their families worried, sources close to them said.
Sent by NMG.